Unicorn Ingredients is a well-established seed ingredient supplier with a sophisticated supply chain, sourcing edible seeds and other specialist ingredients from independent farmers and co-operatives around the world, and used by manufacturers of bakery, cereal, salad and healthier snack products.

Mar 19, 2017

Unicorn Ingredients launches the Copihue brand at IFE

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Unicorn Ingredients, a leading British supplier of ingredients for the bakery and specialist breads markets has announced the launch of a new brand of organic seeds. Available for food manufacturers and the health food retail sector, Copihue is a premium organic range comprising of some of the most popular seeds in today’s market, including sesame, pumpkin, poppy, sunflower, millet, flax, linseed, buckwheat, quinoa and chia.

Copihue is a flowering vine that is the national flower of Chile and is used to make honey. Unicorn already has the registered trademark and supplies Copihue branded honey to China. As many of its organic seeds are sourced in China the decision to choose Copihue as the brand name for the new organic seeds was a logical progression.

“Our organic seeds business is growing and although it is still a small proportion of our overall seeds portfolio, we feel it is important to give it an identity all of its own, which enables the market to distinguish our premium organic seeds from other products,” explains joint managing director, Frank Horan. “Copihue will become synonymous with quality and consistency, backed by our expertise in supply chain management, which provides full traceability of the seeds from grower to the food manufacturer.”

Unicorn Ingredients holds the BRC Standard for Agents and Brokers as a broker of seeds as well as oils (sesame and olive), honey and pulses, providing customers with a guarantee of quality assurance combined with the convenience of hassle-free sourcing from one respected supplier. www.unicorningredients.com

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Mar 19, 2017

Gluten-free and healthy too

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Unicorn Ingredients, a leading British supplier of ingredients for the bakery and specialist breads markets has confirmed its latest range of seeds meets growing market demand for gluten-free products as well as ongoing demand for products that are nutritionally beneficial.

Many seeds are naturally gluten-free, however, this in itself is not sufficient; a guarantee that there has been no cross-contamination in the supply chain is also necessary.
“Controlling the supply chain is the key part,” says Frank Horan, Joint Managing Director of Unicorn Ingredients, which is a supply chain specialist. Sourcing seeds directly from independent farmers and co-operatives around the world, Unicorn has been awarded the BRC Standard for Agents and Brokers for its seeds and honey. The company works closely with its supply chain to provide full traceability of products and a guarantee of quality and safety.

“We are rising to the challenge of increasing demand for gluten-free seeds and are able to work with our customers to provide products that are guaranteed gluten-free either by supplier certification or product analysis,” explains Horan.

“In fact, we are going even further than that. Whilst the standard definition of a gluten-free product is that it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm), an increasing number of our customers are asking for seeds that contain less than 5ppm and we can do that too.”

This initiative from Unicorn Ingredients means that Coeliac sufferers, or the increasing number of consumers opting for gluten-free as a lifestyle choice, can now select a bread made with gluten-free flour and the added luxury of a gluten-free seed topping.

Some gluten-free products maintain flavour by adding in other, less healthy ingredients to compensate – not so with seeds. Because the gluten-free guarantee is based on the management of the supply chain there is no compromise over the extensive nutritional values of seeds, which include high fibre, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, low GI rating and good mineral content.

Unicorn Ingredients is exhibiting at IFE 2017 on Stand N1420. Please visit the stand to discuss the gluten-free solutions Unicorn can offer.

www.unicorningredients.com

Dec 15, 2016

Seeds for Growth

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The market for edible seeds is growing, and specialist supplier, Unicorn Ingredients, looks forward to welcoming visitors to its stand N1502 at IFE 2017, 19 -22 March at ExCeL, London to find out which seeds it expects to lead its continued growth from 2017 and beyond.

The UK market for edible seeds is not as mature as that of some other nations, for instance, Germany, but it is doing its best to catch up. The use of seeds as an ingredient for baking is well established, but seeds have far wider applications, for instance, for inclusion in cereals and other breakfast products, salads and healthier snacking lines.

Seeds boast many nutritional values. They are a good source of fibre, which is important in a healthy diet. They contain many minerals and can help lower cholesterol. Some have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. They also have a low rating on the Glycaemic Index, (GI), which means they are slow to digest in the body, avoiding the sugar rush associated with consumption of some carbohydrates. The pressure is mounting for food manufacturers to reduce the sugar content in their products and to develop recipes that are better for the consumer's overall health and wellbeing; seeds can provide an interesting, tasty solution.

As the UK market for seeds matures, the doors are opening for the introduction of a wider range of new and exciting seeds. Coloured Quinoa, Chia, Amaranth and Teff are joining the more traditional line-up of Sunflower, Sesame, Poppy, Hulled Millet, Linseed, Pumpkin, Nigella and Buckwheat in the range available from Unicorn Ingredients. Even the established and popular sesame seed sector is being reinvigorated with specialist sesames, such as black and golden.

The UK consumer is becoming increasingly knowledgeable about food and nutrition. With that knowledge comes an appetite for exploring new flavours and ingredients. Seeds can be used to great effect to add texture, flavour and visual appeal to food products, as well as the nutritional benefit.

Unicorn Ingredients has a sophisticated supply chain and sources its edible seeds and other
specialist ingredients from independent farmers and co-operatives around the world, guaranteeing a hassle-free, constant supply of products for its customers. It has been awarded the BRC Standard for Agents and Brokers and works with its suppliers to help them to introduce and maintain the highest standards and procedures. Its Sesame seeds are Fairtrade accredited.

Edible seeds have driven the growth of Unicorn Ingredients, year-on-year, since its foundation in 2008. Visit the stand to discover how they could do the same for yours.